Last year Livingston Elementary School launched Livingston Leaders, a program designed to give students the opportunity to engage in integrating meaningful school-based community service with instruction and reflection to enrich their learning experiences. To assist with the growing efforts of the program, the Union Township Education Foundation awarded the program a macro grant in the amount of $3,000. This amount was a portion of their goal to purchase Amazon Fire Tablets for each classroom at the school.
The grant was awarded in support of a student driven approach to volunteer work. However, even with the funds from the grant they were awarded, they were still short to fulfill their goal. Generously enough, the Livingston School PTA, led by Paula Andrade, without question, after hearing of the program and grant, eagerly sponsored the additional funds to fulfill the goal of providing each classroom with two tablets.
The teachers can now download useful apps for learning purposes, intervention strategies, differentiated learning as well as now having a technology rich classroom. This added resource will allow the Livingston Leaders, who volunteer during recess time as a 3rd and 4th Graders, to go into the Kindergarten through 2nd Grade classrooms and peer assist with students to help provide intervention and enrichment opportunities for students. They just kicked off their program, and already have about 75 students signed up. The students’ responses to their presentation and applications were so rewarding. Kelly Kitzman, a third grade teacher at the school shared, “We are so excited and so proud of our 3rd and 4th graders for their willingness to volunteer and give back to our school through The Livingston Leaders Program. On a school wide level, our program is a success because of the amazing teachers willing to participate in our program and allow Livingston Leaders to assist them and their students to create such a ‘go give, pay it forward’ kind of spirit for our students.”
(above l-r) Top left: Enzo Madrini, Giuliana Muscavage, Bailey Land, Kathryn Holck, Domenick Nuzzo, Amelia Koczan, Charlotte Garland, Livingston School PTA President, Paula Andrade. Bottom left: Layla Fearon, Colby Palacio, Emma Amorim, Gianna Manderichio
